Retractable make-up applicator



Dec. 11, 1951 c. A. MUREAU 2,578,084

RETRACTABLE MAKE-UP APPLICATOR Filed March 25, 1946 l l l '1" IN V EN TOR.

BY WWW Patented Dec. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RETRACTABLE MAKE-UP APPLICATOR Charles A. Mureau, Van Nuys, Calif.

Application March 25, 1946, Serial No. 657,007

16 Claims. (Cl. -184) This invention has to do with an applicator for make-up, that is, with a device for applying make-up material such as lip rouge, and it is a general object of the invention to provide an improved, simplified, practical device of this general character.

The device which is the subject of this application is of the general type or character of the device which is the subject of my companion application entitled Make-Up Applicator, Serial No. 636,198, filed December 10, 1945, and application entitled Applicator," Serial No. 657,008, filed on even date herewith.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a make-up applicator of the general character referred to which involves few simple parts such as can be readily and economically molded or otherwise formed of materials that are inexpensive and easily available and which do not require resiliency or like characteristics.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of the general character referred to wherein there is a case with an opening controlled by single closure part operable to close the opening, which part is operable to a position to completely cover or close the opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character mentioned wherein there is a case and a single rotatable closure which is maintained in seated engagement with the forward end of the case, so that these parts cooperate to form an effective tight seal when rotated to a position where the closure covers the access opening provided in the case.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the general character referred to wherein the brush is so mounted in the case, which case is elongate in form, that when projected from the forward end of the case it is offset or eccentric from the longitudinal axis of the case making it particularly convenient for use.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the make-up applicator that I have provided, showing it with fragmentary view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1, being a view taken substantially as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. l to show the general arrangement and cooperative relationship of certain of the essential parts. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal detailed sectional view of the structure taken in the direction indicated by line 44 on Fig. 3, showing the brush extended or in operating position. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the brush retracted and the closure operated to cut off or close the brush opening of the case. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 6--6 on Fig. 5, and Fig. '7 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 1l on Fig. 5.

The device of the present invention can be used in a variety of ways or for various purposes. However, it is primarily useful for handling lip rouge or make-up material, which material is such as to seriously stain or disfigure fabrics or articles with whichit comes in contact, making it highly important that it be confined in a container that will protect it from other objects when being carried, as for instance in a woman's handbag.

I will, in this application, make reference to the structure as being such as to handle lip rouge and have shown a form of the invention particularly suited to be carried in a handbag or the like, but I do not wish the broader principles of the invention to be thereby limited. The material handling device or element that I have shown is a brush. However, it will be apparent the brush retracted or in condition to be carried,

as for instance, in a purse or the like. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front end view of the device as shown in Fig. 1, being a view taken as indicated by line 2-'2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged that the structural features that I provide need not be limited to this particular form of applicator and therefore when I use the terms brush or applicator they are to be understood as including any like or equivalent devices or elements that may be used in or with my structure.

The structure that I have provided involves, generally, a case A having a brush opening I0 at. its forward end, a closure B carried by the case and operable to cut off or seal the closure, a retractible brush C operable between a retracted position where it is within the case and an extended or operating position where its head projects from the forward end of the case through the brush opening l0, and operating means D for .the closure B and brush C.

The case A may be of any suitable design or form, it being preferred that it be an elongate structure generally round in crosssectional con- The particular case illustrated involves, generally, a tubular body [2 closed at its forward end by a front end wall [3 and at its rear end by a rear end wall I 4. In the drawings I have shown the body E2 of the case sectional or separable intermediate its ends to facilitate assembly of the other parts into it. It is to be understood that various other constructions may be employed to get the other parts in the body other than making the body itself sectional, as I have described. In the case illustrated the two body sections have overlapping or telescoping parts 15 and 15, which fit tightly together or which may be permanently sealed together after the closure and brush have been assembled in the body.

The front end wall l3 of the body is an important element of my construction and it is preferably a flat wall cutting off or closing the forward end of the body [2. The outer side 29 of the front end wall 13 may be of any form or shape, as may be dictated by design, but I prefer that the inner side 2% of the wall i3 be fiat and smooth.

The brush opening it) that I provide in the front end wall I3 of the case is shaped to properly accommodate the head of the brush as will be hereinafter described, and since it is generally advantageous to employ a fiat brush rather than a round brush the opening will, in most cases, be a slot or an elongate opening sufficiently long and wide to provide working clearance for the head of the brush. It is a feature of my invention that I locate the brush opening l offset from or eccentric to the central longitudinal axis of the structure or of the case A, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This brings the projecting head of the brush close to one side of the body and minimizes obstruction of the brush by the case when the brush is extended as shown in Fig. 4.

The closure B is provided primarily for closing or shutting off the brush opening l0 when the brush C is retracted, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. The particular closure illustrated in the drawings involves a closure plate 22 which operates immediately inside the front end wall l3 of the case and a shank 23 which is mounted in the body [2 of the case and which carries the plate 22. The shank 23 is an elongate tubular part rotatably and slidably mounted in the body I2 of the case A. The plate 22 has a forward end face 24 which is preferably fiat and smooth and which normally seats against or seats on the fiat inner side 2] of the end Wall 13, and a rear end face 24 which projects outi wardly and rearwardly from the wall 22 which forms a guide for the bristles 32 of the brush. I prefer that the closure B be held in the case A against longitudinal movement therein, as by a shoulder 28 in the body l2 engaging the inner A and which is offset or eccentric relative to the longitudinal axis of the structure to the same degree as is the opening I0 offset therefrom.

With this arrangement or relationship of parts the brush aperture 30 may be brought to a position where it registers with the brush opening I 0 as shown in Fig. 4 or to a position where it is completely removed from the opening It) or is out of register therewith, as shown in'Figs."5

and 7, in which position the opening II] is effectively closed or sealed by the plate 22. In the particular case illustrated the parts are related and proportioned so that the closure B is rotatable bodily through 18G to move it between one position and the other.

The brush C, in accordance with my preferred construction, involves, generally, an elongate stem 3! carried in the shank 23 of the closure B and a head on the forward end of the shank, which head involves a group of bristles 32 or the like applied to the end of the stem by a suitable holder 33. The holder 3-3 carries or confines the bristles so that they form a flat brush that will readily slide or pass through the registering aperture 30 and opening it] when these parts are in register, as shown in Fig. 4. The stem 3| of the brush is slidably and rotatably supported in the tubular shank 23 so that it allows free rotation of the closure and so that it can be bodily reciprocated between the positions shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

The means D that I have provided for operating the closure B and brush C preferably involves a simple operating part or handle as exposed to the exterior of the case so that it can be moved or shifted relative to the case, and a pin ll which extends between and couples the handle 48 and the stem 3| of the brush and extends through a cam slot 32 in the shank of the closure and a guide slot 43 in the case, as it extends between the stem and handle. In accordance with the preferred form of my invention I locate the handle 59 on the exterior of the body l2 of the case intermediate the ends of the body and I preferably shape the handle so that it lies close to the body so that it does not form an objectionable projection but is at the same time readily accessible for operation. The pin d! which may be formed integral with the. handle projects through the slots 42 and 43 and is preferably fixed or made secure in a transverse opening M provided in the stem 3i of the brush.

The guide slot 43 provided in the body [2 of the case A is preferably a straight elongate slot extending lengthwise of the structure and the handle is preferably such as to close the guide slot at all times, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

The cam slot &2 is formed in the tubular shank 3 of the closure and is preferably a helically formed or pitched slot extending lengthwise of the closure and around the closure so that as the pin M is moved lengthwise of the structure as guided by the guide slot the shank of the closure is rotated. The parts are preferably proportioned so that the shank of the closure is rotated through upon the pin being moved from one end of the guide slot to the other and the parts are related so that when the pin is at one end of the guide slot, for instance at the forward end of the guide slot, the closure is open and the bristles 32 of the brush project forward from the front end or the case, and when the pin is at the rear end or" the guide slot the closure is rotated so that the brush opening it is sealed or closed by the plate 22 and the brush is entirely within the case A and sealed therein against contamination from material from the outside of the case and against the escape of rouge or material from the brush to the outside of the case.

From the foregoing description it will be un- 8 stem, the opening and aperture beingoffset relative to the central axis of the case and-the head of the brush being. offset and in line with the opening in the case.

10. A device of the character described including, a case having a tubular body with a front end wall, a closure having a shank rotatable in the body on an axis common thereto and a plate at the forward end of the shank seated against the inner side of said wall of the case, an elonate reciprocating stem maintained wholly within the case, a brush head on the forward end .of the stem and normally positioned wholly within the case, said wall of the case and the said plate of the closure having openings movable into and out of register by rotation of the closure in the case, and means operable to simultaneously rotate the closure and reciprocate the brush into and out of working position where the opening within said wall of the case and the plate of ing, an elongate tubular case, an elongate stem maintained wholly within the case, a brush head carried by and projecting from one end of the stem and operated thereby between a released position wholly within the case and a working position projecting from the case, means coupling the case and stem for relative reciprocation and against relative rotation, and a rotary closure carried by the case for rotation relative thereto, the closure having an opening movable into and out of a stem passing position by rotation of the closure relative to the case.

12. A device of the character described including, an elongate tubular case, an applicator normally wholly within the case, a rotary closure within the case rotatable on a common axis therewith and having an apertured part movable into and-out of register with the applicator by rotation of the closure relative to the applicator, the case having a slot in one side thereof and extending longitudinally thereof and the closure having a helical slot therein registering with said elongated slot, means holding the closure in the case against axial movement relative thereto, and a member rojecting from the applicator and through said registering slots and coupling opening, a closure mounted in the case for rotation relative thereto on a common axis therewith and having an aperture movable into and out of register with the end opening, an applicator having a stem mounted in the closure for reciprocation relative thereto and maintained within the case and a head carried by the stem 3 for projection from the case through the end opening and aperture when they are in register, and an operating member projecting from the applicator, through angularly related slots in the closure and case.

14. A device of the character described including, an elongate tubular case having an end opening, a closure mounted in the case for rotation relative thereto on a common axis therewith and having an aperture movable into and out of register with the end opening, an applicator having a stem mounted in the closure for reciprocation relative thereto and maintained within the case and a head carried by the stem for projection from the case when the closure is open, and an operating member projecting from the applicator, through a helical slot in the closure and an elongate slot in the case.

15. A device of the character described including, a tubular case having an end opening, a closure having a shank mounted in the case for rotation relative thereto on a common axis therewith and carrying a closure plate having an aperture and movable to open position with the aperture thereof in registration with the end opening, an applicator including a stem slidable in the shank and a head projecting from the stem to project through the plate and from the case when the end opening and aperture are in register, and an operating member projecting from the stem of the applicator through angularly related slots in the shank and case.

16. A device of the character described including, a tubular case having an end opening, a closure having a shank mounted in the case for rotation relative thereto on a common axis therewith and carrying a closure plate having an aperture and movable to open position with the aperture thereof in registration with the end opening, an applicator including a stem slidable in the shank and a head projecting from the stem to project through the plate and from the case when the closure is in open position, and an operating member projecting from the stem of the applicator through a spiral slot in the shank and a longitudinal slot in the case.

CHARLES A. MUREAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

